]20191227教之慇實入法藏 Sharing True Principles Through Education

無量光曜心 文章總數 : 2487 威望 : 33 注冊日期 : 2012-11-03

20191227教之慇實入法藏 Sharing True Principles Through Education

I see the beauty evident in the character and propriety of our students. When they sit, they’re very upright and they don’t fidget at all. This is truly very remarkable. Indeed, each of them sits like a bodhisattva. This is very touching. One of our teachers has also shared their teaching methods.

Our teachers really have my admiration. Today, it’s my honor to share how we’ve integrated Jing Si Aphorisms with our classroom management and how we’ve been guiding our students with Jing Si Aphorisms. There are many classroom management strategies, such as class rules, meditation, and classroom decoration. In implementing class rules, we guide our students with Jing Si Aphorisms instead of reprimanding them.

For example, if they speak unwholesome words, we’ll share with them the Jing Si Aphorism: “If one has bad temper and a foul mouth, then no matter how good one’s heart is, one is still not considered a good person.” Once every few weeks, we let our students select and write down Jing Si Aphorism they like in their student contact books. They can make drawings or write down their reflections on the Jing Si Aphorisms in the student contact books and share them with their classmates.

Every day, we let our students read well-written and inspiring stories about Jing Si Aphorisms. Jing Si Aphorisms can be applied in teaching, classroom management and many other forms of education. Jing Si Aphorisms have also helped us teachers to guided our students with the wisdom of Bodhisattvas and love our students like they were our own. Apart from imparting knowledge to our students and setting a good example for them, most importantly, we must nurture their minds.

Through teaching Jing Si Aphorisms, I’ve also benefited a lot from them. Thanks to Jing Si Aphorisms, I’ve learned to think positively and I’ve adjusted the ways I teach and guide my students.

I’d like to share how Tainan Tzu Chi Senior High School has sent love to Southeastern Africa. As master called on all of us to transform the live of the needy in southeastern Africa by sending our love there, we immediately did what we could to help. At our annual student talent performance, apart from the student concert, we’ve also held a charity fair. We combined the school event with the charity, hoping that our students could understand the true meaning of helping the needy.

Also, we called on our students and teachers to donate their clothes and send their love to Africa. I’m grateful to our school staff members for helping organize this event. There was actually much work to do, but what’s most important is that all the teachers and students worked together to fold and pack the clothes.

This is also a form of education because by sorting the clothes, they gave of their love to help those in need, which is even more meaningful. At this learning environment, our elementary school students have learned to serve with compassion.

Children need to be educated. But, we can’t just force education on them. Rather, we should gently guide them to develop correct views and conduct, which is the goal of our educational mission. Our students practice good manners without being asked to. This wouldn’t be possible without our teachers’ proper guidance.

I’m truly grateful to our teachers. It is our teachers that have instilled character and propriety in our students. Seeing how our teachers work with a sense of responsibility, I’m very grateful to them. I’m also very grateful to our school principal for his encouragement to our teachers. As our teachers and students, you’ve come together here, displaying your spirit of unity. May you often share this good spirit with others, especially those in the field of education?

Truth, goodness, and beauty are the features of our school in Tainan. For that, overseas Tzu Chi members often visit this school. I hope you can continue to develop your features so Tzu Chi members around the world would all want to visit this school to learn about your features.

Why do I often ask our overseas Tzu Chi members to visit this school of ours in Tainan? Because you have my recognition. When overseas Tzu Chi members come back, I often tell them: “You can visit our school in Tainan.” See how I recognize your performance. May you cherish the features of your school and pass down on forever and ever. We also need to uphold the Dharma.

During my tour from Pingdong to Tainan, I’ve seen many of our volunteers in their 80s and 90s present sutra adaptations. During my tour last time, I also saw our elderly recycling volunteers present a sutra adaptation. More than 2,000 volunteers took part in the performance. Their sutra adaptation truly conveyed the spirit of the Dharma.

Our elderly volunteers all sang in perfect sync. Their gestures and body movements were also very orderly and uniform. They performed each gesture perfectly and did not miss out any word from the lyrics. When I finished my talk and walked downstairs, they were still performing and singing.

Then, they told me: “Master, we’ve come together to study and learn the sutra.” Although many of them were illiterate, they still came together to learn the sutra, which was indeed not easy feat. They even expressed their gratitude to me saying, “Master, we have learned many words and can recite the sutra now.” These elderly volunteers of ours have displayed unity and harmony.

It is very important to join our study groups, for this is the way many Tzu Chi members gain understanding of Tzu Chi and the Dharma. All Tzu Chi members work mindfully to understand the Dharma. For that, I’m very grateful. It’s been ten years since I started to expound the Lotus Sutra. Recently, Da Ai TV has rerun the program on the Lotus Sutra’s chapter of “Introduction” that I expounded ten years ago.

I’ve been watching my previous programs and what I spoke of our four missions ten years ago. As I watched them, I felt that the way we carry out Tzu Chi’s work is truly a form of education in our society. We see that all our Tzu Chi members have truly taken the Dharma to heart. Not only have they taken in the Dharma, but they also live it out.

During my tour, I’ve heard many Tzu Chi members share their experiences. As there was not enough time, many of them have shared how short saying such as Jing Si Aphorisms have benefited them. This is how we gain faith. By having faith in correct views, we can apply them in our educational mission. Respect is on line with propriety and propriety follows true principles in life. This is how we can integrate life’s true principles with our educational work in society.